CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Feb. 18, 2012) – Paul Williams dominated Nobuhiro Ishida en route to a 12-round unanimous decision shutout (120-108 three times) in the super welterweight main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. The SHOWTIME telecast was kicked off by a fight that left fans irate at the American Bank Center Arena in Corpus Christi, Texas when Tavoris Cloud defended his International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight title via split decision over Gabriel Campillo. The scores were 116-110 and 114-112 for Cloud and 115-111 for Campillo.

Williams (41-2, 27 KOs), of Aiken, S.C., stayed busier than Ishida (24-7-2, 9 KOs), of Osaka, Japan, throughout the entire fight, throwing 934 punches to his opponents 671. The consistent performance brought Williams his first convincing victory since three inauspicious outings in a row. His work rate and volume punching proved too much for Ishida.

“It feels real good,” said Williams. “Ishida is a tough fighter but we put in good work and we’re going to make it back to the top of the game.”

Following the telecast’s co-feature, SHOWTIME analyst Al Bernstein said, “How this fight could be scored 116-110 on a judge’s scorecard is beyond comprehension. It’s one of the most egregious decisions I’ve ever seen.” The crowd echoed this sentiment with a cacophony of boos from the 4,599 in attendance following the announcement of the decision for Cloud over Campillo.

Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs), of Tallahassee, Fla., started impressively with two knockdowns in the first round. He floored Campillo (21-4-1, 8 KOs), of Madrid, Spain, with a right hand and then referee Marc Nelson ruled another knockdown when Campillo used the ropes to stay up following another shot by Cloud.

Unfazed by the 10-7 first round, Campillo regained his composure and began to turn the tide. Cloud suffered a cut above his left eye in the fourth round as Campillo surged. The Spanish fighter was more active and accurate than his opponent, landing 148 power punches compared to Cloud’s 71.

By the 11th and 12th rounds, Campillo was beginning to showboat but Cloud had no answers. As the final bell rung, Campillo raised his arms in victory and kept them up until ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. announced that Cloud had successfully defended his title.

“I feel like I won the fight,” said Cloud. “I knocked him down a few times and was the aggressor throughout. I wanted to put him away but sometimes you get it and sometimes you don’t.

“I wanted to stay busy and be aggressive. I did that. He was a busy fighter, and that’s what the crowd here in Corpus Christi responded to. The difference is I was landing the power shots, and that’s what the judges responded to.”

“I’m disappointed,” said Campillo. “This was one of the best fights of my career but this is not the first time it’s happened to me. He won the first but after that I dominated. I won the fight no question.”

The televising of preliminary boxing bouts on SHOWTIME EXTREME started out with a bang as Chris Arreola (34-2, 30 KOs, 1 ND), of Riverside, Calif., stunned Eric Molina (18-2, 14 KOs), of Raymondville, Texas, with a first-round knockout just 30 seconds shy of the bell. Molina caught Arreola early with a right but it only seemed to wake the sleeping giant as Arreola responded with a barrage of punches that ended with a flush right to the temple. Molina hit the canvas and stayed there until the count of ten in the heavyweight bout scheduled for 12 rounds.

“I wasn’t hurt so much but it was a nice clean right hand and the way he came at me, I could see every punch coming,” said Arreola. “I was blocking and blocking and waiting for my punch. Once I swung out of the ropes I knew it was my time to work.

“I’m a commodity, a big Mexican commodity. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to become the first Mexican heavyweight world champion.”

In the opening bout on SHOWTIME EXTREME, Malik Scott (33-0, 11 KOs) won an eight-round unanimous decision over Kendrick Releford (22-16-2, 10 KOs) by the scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73.

Justin Williams (4-5-1, 2 KOs) won a surprise upset over Alfonso Lopez (22-3, 17 KOs) with a six-round unanimous decision by the scores of 58-55 twice and 57-56. Williams scored a second-round knockdown with a perfectly timed right hand.

The event was presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions. The Williams-Ishidabout was promoted in association with Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions. The Cloud vs. Campillo bout was promoted by Don King Productions in association with Sampson Boxing, LLC.

Here are some post-fight quotes:

Post-Fight Quotes: Tavoris Cloud And Eric Molina From Corpus Christi

Tavoris Cloud: “I feel like I won the fight. I knocked him down a few times and was the aggressor throughout. I wanted to put him away but sometimes you get it and sometimes you don’t.

“I wanted to stay busy and be aggressive. I did that. He was a busy fighter, and that’s what the crowd here in Corpus Christi responded to. The difference is I was landing the power shots, and that’s what the judges responded to.

“I give Campillo credit. He’s a good fighter and he hung around with me. I think he looked bad in the judges’ eyes for celebrating in the ring thinking he had it won while the fight was still going on. He forgot he was still in a fight.

“When he was throwing the left uppercut, he was catching me with the laces on his wrist, and I think that caused the cuts over my eyes.

“I was never hurt to the point I couldn’t keep coming forward and throwing shots. I closed the distance between us in the later rounds trying to go to the body and stop him from throwing flurries.

He was another bouncy-bouncy guy. He couldn’t deter me from coming forward.”

Eric Molina: “I said before this fight that if I had Arreola hurt I would come right at him, and I did just that. I landed some big right hands. He was in trouble and holding on for dear life, but he caught me. I did my best.”

COMMENTS

the Roast :

One of the worst decisions I have ever seen in along line of bad decisions. On what planet, through whose eyes could ANYONE see Cloud winning that fight??? Cloud won the first round and maybe one or two others. Those two judges should never be allowed to judge another fight. Pathetic. Don King strikes again. And we wonder why nobody in the mainstream gives a damn about boxing.

Radam G :

@the Roast, don't go overboard. The mainstream -- those with the big bucks -- is what keep boxing going. The bout was a bit close because of those two knockdowns in the first round. And like you said Cloud probably won two more rounds. That there would give him close 114 to 112 victory. That one judge got it right, IMHO. Besides, it's pro boxing, not the amateurs. The heavier shots are worth more.
The Spainard was pitty-pattying, drama queening and doing a lot of showboating. This was entertaining to the fans and even the talking heads, except for Antonio Tarver. And, of course, to two of the pro judges. Tarver even said that the "Chico guwapo" guy "may lost for not closing the show," before the last rounded ended.
Too many people let histrionics and melodrama inattention blind them. Cam-pillow -- I mean Campillo -- was remarkable in blinding every know nothing and dey mistress with his pillow-punch jive and queeny histrionics.
Dude show be in the next "Rocky Movie." He was impressive to max with his jive. Holla!

Radam G :

Inattention blindness got the Texan "Drummer Boy" fudged up in a major Nightmare. Hehehehe! Dat Cali Crusher will do da do on inattention blindness syet. Holla!

DaveB :

I had Campillo winning 115-111. That was ridiculous. Cloud lost fair and square. Even his mother couldn't believe he got that decision and fainted when it was announced. The judges really can't get it right for this last year and a half. It used to be that one weird scorecard. Now it is those two weird scorecards that steal the fight. Let Cloud fight him and win it back in a rematch. I like Cloud but he has some things to work on. I think he is limited as a fighter. I thought that before last night and he is not the type of guy that can just depend on power because for some reason he can't always deliver it. He knew he didn't win. Anyway awful decision.

Radam G :

Hehehehe! @DaveB, dat ain't ratt [sic] fo' ya' ta talk about the guy's momma. If the bout were scored by amateur rules of hitting and running away not to get hit, Campillo won it "fair and square" and Cloud lost it somewhere o'va da rainbow. WAY! WAYYY! Up HIGH! Hehehehe! But it was scored according to the banana business of pugilism -- crooked like a muthaPOW! So don't go ape sh*t! That is just the way, da game rolls.
The aggressor with the heavier punches will win, unless he was Sugar Ray Leonard fighting Marvelous Marvin Hagler. And Campillow -- I mean Campillo -- was no SRL. Holla!

fightscorecollector :

i scored then fight 114-112 campillio

ali :

Williams fights conventional fighters a lot better then southpaws the problem is Martinez, Lara, & Kirkland are all southpaws...If I was the one doing the match making for Paul I would hope Pac and Mayweather finally fight and try to get a fight with Canelo..Chavez Jr can't get down any lower then 160 and Canelo ppl ain't about to fight him at middleweight...That may open the door for Williams to land a big fight.

the Roast :

When the announcer said "we have a split decision", my eyebrows went up. I thought "one of these idiots has it for Cloud??" When the announcer read "and still" I did a spit take with my Miller Lite. Outfreakinrageous!!!!!!

ali :

[quote=the roast;13780]when the announcer said "we have a split decision", my eyebrows went up. I thought "one of these idiots has it for cloud??" when the announcer read "and still" i did a spit take with my miller lite. Outfreakinrageous!!!!!!